Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-08-06
Summer Clothing.
From the New York Sun.

Though various changes in the fashoning q
mems garments have been discussed OF late years.
they still remain about as they have been ever
since the substitution OF trousers for Knee brooches
The attempt OF tailors 10 drive out the dress coat
In favor OF some more snowy garment has proved
unsuccessful, and Oscar Wilde was not able TO
again make knee breecheS fashionable. IL is true
that for ten or dozen years past young men have
taken TO wearing the sensible and convenient
knckerbockers at their open-air games, but In the
town and Tor ordinary dress they not adopted.
despite their great advantage over trousers far
as concerns both convenience and suitability
But the prolonged heat OF this summer, which,
we are promised by the meteorological prophets Is
going TO last until the middle OF september sug-
gests change in the clothing OF men that Ia
becoming almost Imperative. Even I'm this troI.
ical weather men generally are going about clothed
with four tnicknesses-an undershirt OF cotton or
wooden, starched linen shirt, waistcoat, COM
monty OF wooden, and finally an outside coat.
These victims OF fashion adapted 10 another
summer climate than our own also wear "A starched
collar nigh up on The neck, ana crayat or silk or
linen.
That is the average costume of a New Yorker,
though the thermometer ranges between eighty
and one hundred degrees, and IL makes OF him a
very pitiabie being. In tropical weather, such
weather as Havana or Calcutta experiences. he IL
clothed for a temperate climate, such as that OF
England during an ordinary summer Except
that his garments are a little thinner, they are
the same that he wears when the thermometer Ia
thirty or forty degrees lower. Fashion refuses TO
allow him 10 adapt himself TO the change In the
temperature from low 10 high, though when the
other outer garment. lie must encase himself In
starched linen and must bind a starched collar
about his neck with q cravat, no matter how un.
comfortable they may be, and how quickly tho
linen may wilt and increase his distress.
While woman, with her neck free, may look
cool, neat and happy In comparison, man pre-
SentS a wretched appearance, and the more his
collar willis and his shirt front loses Its starch the
greater his Generalization. The discomfort OF his
dress agtates his nerves. and the state OF the poor
wretch is lamentable. He cannot maintain the
repose which Is necessary 10 his comfort In such
weather, and as the hours pass he grows hotter
and hotter, until IL is quite enough TO start the
perSpiration TO look at him.
Now, what folly IL Is for men to subject them
selves TO all this discomfort Instead OF four thick.
nesses OF clothing they have need OF only one, and
there should not be a starched garment on them.
The neck especially should be LETT free and open,
and every article OF clothing they should sit
easily on them and be made OF material especially
adapted to the torrfd weather. A light and SOFT
wooden shirt, made as a sort OF jacket, somewhat
place or this four thicknesses Then the loose
sailor fashion.
Some such costume as that should be adopted
by New York men In summer and II this weather
continues through August, as seems not unlikely
will be the case, the movement In favor OF the
fashion may become very general So
FAR as looks are concerned, IL would be vast im-
provement on the present fashion, for IL would be
suitable to the conditions and graceful, the
dress now worn is not by any means. Men wear
country, to the admiration OF women, and why
should they not wear them In town, where tho
temperature and the occupations make them more
requisite?